I've been having persistent internet issues that seem linked to my router's MAC address. Initially, my ISP told me they couldn't help because I wasn't using one of their routers. After contacting the router manufacturer, I managed to clone my computer's MAC address onto the router, and this temporarily solved the problem. However, my internet went down again recently. The ISP confirmed that everything seemed fine on their end but couldn't get my router to connect. Despite several tests like switching cables and powering down both devices, the same MAC address stayed registered on their end. After more troubleshooting, I discovered that reverting to the default MAC address didn't work, but when I re-cloned the MAC without the computer connected, it suddenly worked again. I'm baffled by why these issues keep recurring and what steps I should take to prevent them.
5 Answers
I don't think the MAC address is the real issue. ISPs typically don’t care about that unless something’s wrong with your device. If it's not causing problems like running malware, it should be fine. However, if your router has security vulnerabilities or remote access turned on, that could raise concerns, so consider turning off any features that allow remote access.
If you're connecting to an ISP modem or ONT, remember that most need to be rebooted whenever you change the MAC address. This means earlier tests might have been successful, but without rebooting, they wouldn't show it. But if your router continues to underperform, replacing it might be worth considering.
It seems like your ISP's DHCP server might be having trouble. When you change your MAC, it should assign you a new IP and lease, but if that’s not happening, there’s likely an issue with your router's DHCP. Updating the router, resetting it, and reconfiguring may help. If the problem persists, it might be an ISP issue.
First off, ensure your router has the latest firmware updates. Without knowing specifics about your ISP or your connection type, it's hard to troubleshoot, but firmware updates can resolve a lot of issues.
Cloning your computer's MAC to the router probably isn't quite right. Usually, MAC cloning is intended to replicate the ISP's router's MAC to your own to get around any restrictions. It might be more likely that either your cables or the router itself could be faulty.
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